Mikel Arteta Reflects on Arsenal's Narrow Miss in Draw Against Fulham

Following Arsenal's 1-1 draw with Fulham at Craven Cottage, manager Mikel Arteta conveyed his disappointment, emphasizing that his team was mere millimeters away from securing a commanding win. Arteta remarked, 'It's very disappointing not to have won because I believe we deserved it. We were superior from start to finish, and victory was our right. We did almost everything necessary to win, but unfortunately, we missed out on three points.'

Addressing the team's defensive injuries, Arteta expressed hope for the return of key players ahead of the upcoming Champions League match against Monaco. He stated, 'I hope so. That's a question for the doctors. We have many injuries in the defensive line, which makes the situation difficult.'

Arteta also discussed the team's reliance on set-piece goals, acknowledging the need to create more opportunities during open play. He noted, 'When you don't score three, four, or five goals, it means the chances created weren't enough. When our team delivers 11 direct balls, I want all 11 to result in goals. We aim to make 100% use of all opportunities.'

Despite the draw, Arteta praised the performance of defender Jakub Kiwior, who stepped in amid the team's injury crisis. He commented, 'I was satisfied with Jakub's performance today. We have to change the whole team because there aren't many players. But I am completely satisfied with the players' performance today.'

Reflecting on the match's outcome, Arteta concluded, 'Sometimes you just have to credit the opponent.'